Structural Reform # : Cap and Trade

What would change with this proposal?

1. Eliminate the existing Student Choice (Depth or IN) and Interdisciplinary (ID) requirements and
reduce the Institutional Requirements from 7 hours to 4 hours.
2. Create a 3-credit Institutional Best (IB) Designation with the following characteristics:
a. Each School will receive the ability to submit a fixed maximum number of courses for Gen Ed
consideration under the (IB) designation. Because this number is fixed, there is a cap on the
maximum number of courses in this category.
b. The maximum number of courses each school receives is the same as the number of faculty
representatives from each School who sit on the Gen Ed committee. For example, if a School has
4 representatives on the Gen Ed committee, the school receives the ability to submit a maximum
of 4 courses for Gen Ed consideration in the (IB) category.
c. The process by which each School selects/creates courses for Gen Ed consideration under the
(IB) designation is left to the sole discretion of the Schools Curriculum Committee.
d. Schools may collaborate with other Schools, or trade unused (IB) course credits to a different
School at their sole discretion and mutually agreed upon terms.
e. There is no need for the Gen Ed committee to have any criteria for this designation because the
number of courses in this designation is capped. Presumably, each school will be choosing its
course selections based upon its own criteria which is best for that school, departments, and
students.
f. Under this designation, when a course is submitted for consideration, the Gen Ed committee can
concentrate ALL of its effort on evaluating and improving the Gen Ed-ness of the submitted
course because there is no need to first identify if it meets the criteria for (IB) designation.
g. Gen Ed-ness may include HIPs such as: Service-Learning or Community Based-Learning;
Undergraduate Research; Collaborative Projects; Learning Community (i.e., must be linked to
another course); or Integrative Learning. The full definition of Gen Ed-ness is the
responsibility of the Gen Ed Committee and beyond the scope of this proposal. (IB) must
conform to the Gen Ed requirements for this designation and the Gen Ed Committee has the
sole responsibility to evaluate each course in this designation based upon those
requirements.
3. Students choose one class from the (IB) designation to fulfill the Gen Ed Institutional Requirements.

Why Make These Changes?

Institutional Best (IB):
This designation is fair and equitable to all Schools, Departments and Students at the college.
This designation allows each School to determine the best they have to offer to General
Education. It doesnt unfairly advantage or disadvantage one School or Department over
another.
The (IB) designation allows non-traditional Gen Ed courses, such as CTE courses, to have a
place in our Gen Ed curriculum.
The capped number of courses for each School will encourage competition among different
departments within the school to put forward their best course for (IB) designation.
The capped number of courses in this category will promote integration between departments
within a School, or between Schools, to create the best course possible for students in the (IB)
designation.
The definition of Institutional Requirements in the R470 Policy states, USHE institutions are
encouraged to establish unique course requirements which reflect emphases of the institutions,
strengths of faculties, and the varying interests of students. We believe the (IB) designation is the
epitome of the definition of an Institutional Requirement.
The capped number of courses in this designation, and the fair distribution to each School, eliminates
the need for a definition or criteria for this designation. The Gen Ed committee can review all
submitted courses strictly on the basis of the courses Gen Ed-ness.
Guiding Principles for this Reform Proposal

Provide the best possible educational solution for ALL of our students that will prepare them for their
next steps in life (transfer or career pursuits) and for lifelong learning.
Keep it simple, fair, and equitable.
Provide a format that ensures maximum integration of learning across required designations.
Have minimal impact on department/division enrollment and budgets.

From the student perspective, how does the General Education program change?
Current Gen Ed Structure for AS Degrees
Core Skills (12 credits minimum)
Composition (EN)
Quantitative Literacy (QL)
American Institutions (AI)

Proposed Gen Ed Structure for AS Degrees

Core Skills (12 credits minimum)
Composition (EN)
Quantitative Literacy (QL)
American Institutions (AI)

USHE Distribution Areas (15 credits)

(Take one class from each area)
Fine Arts (FA)
Humanities (HU)
Life Sciences (LS)
Physical Sciences (PS)
Social Sciences (SS)

USHE Distribution Areas (15 credits)

(Take one class from each area)
Fine Arts (FA)
Humanities (HU)
Life Sciences (LS)
Physical Sciences (PS)
Social Sciences (SS)

Institutional Requirements (7 credits)

Student Choice (Take an IN course or a
Depth course)
Interdisciplinary (ID)
Lifetime Wellness (LW)
Total Credits=34 (minimum)

Institutional Requirements (4 credits)

Institutional Best (IB)
Lifetime Wellness (LW)

Total Credits=31 (minimum)